Coating surfaces with plastic material



(No Model.)

M. B. CHURCH. COATING SURFACES WITH PLASTIC MATERIAL.

N0. 487,606. Patented Dec. 6, 1892.

Jf/afor raven/8'5 ,F. Curck L UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MELVIN B. CHURCH, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

COATING SURFACES WITH PLASTIC MATERIAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 487,606, dated December6, 1892.

Application filed March 30, 1892. Serial No. 427,059. (No specimens.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MELVIN B. CHURCH, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State ofMichigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CoatingSur faces with Plastic Materials, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention is designed for the purpose of applying substances in aplastic or approximately-plastic condition to walls, ceilings, or othersurfaces in order to spread upon such surfaces in a divided condition aprotecting or ornamental covering or coating.

The especial object which I have had in view in this invention is tolessen the cost of the covering of large or uneven surfaces and theexterior surfaces of buildings, and especially rough exteriorsurfacesfor fireproofing, &c., and to provide a substitute for the ordinaryhandwork.

My invention is especially adapted for surfaces on which relief-work isused. The material which I have especially used in the practice of myinvention is a mixture or composition of pulverized calcined gypsum andother substances, known in the trade as alabastine, but I do not limitmyself to this material.

It is essential to my invention that the material be in a softcondition,in which condition it may be forced by an air-blast or bypressure directedagainst the wall or surface which is to be coated. Ihave found in practice that a good job can be done with an air-pressureof thirty pounds to the square inch. For the best effect I have foundthat the material should be in a condition a little softer than ordinaryplastic material. 'It may be in such condition that it may be appliedwith a brush and not thicker than ordinary paint if the surface it isapplied on is of avery absorbent nature. The especial limitation whenthe material is applied to a non-absorbent surface is that the materialshould not be so soft or so nearlyin a liquid forrnthatwhen driven in adivided condition against the wall it would run upon the surface.

My invention consists, essentially, in directly projecting a materialsuited to thus coat a wall or other surface in a divided conditionagainst such wall or surface.

In preparing the material for coatiuga nonabsorbent surface I takealabastine, for example, and mix it with water to a soft plasticcondition and such material as is ordinarily used with a brush and as isused in low relief-work. The substance being so mixed, it is then placedin a receptacle and pressure is applied thereto, preferably by air, andthe material is forced through a pipe having a suitable nozzle upon itsend. This nozzle is directed by the workman toward the surface to becovered. The material is thus thrown forcibly in a divided conditionfrom the nozzle directly upon the surfaceand is distributed upon thesurface, to which it adheres and does not run. The size of the openingin the nozzle and the thickness of-material must be arranged, for thesurface there points and pressure must be arranged each to suit theother to produce the best results; also, the pressure must be strongerwhere a broad spread is required or where the material is to be firstraised some distance in a standpipe and also if it is to be thrown farfrom the nozzle.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown a suitable apparatus forcarrying out my invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus; andFig. 2 is a side view, an additional support being shown on the top.Fig. 3 shows the central longitudinal section of a form of nozzle suitedto the work. Fig. 4 represents a detail.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a form of nozzle adapted to more effectuallydivide or'spray the material. The pipe g is that through which thematerial is forced. Near the delivery end it is contracted, as shown ath, and the extreme end is made fiarin g. Within the contracted end is aconical valve-like piece 1,

arranged with its axis coinciding with that of the pipe 9 and adjustedso as to leave an annular passage between the cone and the tapering orcontracted walls of the pipe. This conical piece may be adjustable toenlarge or diminish the annular passage. IVhen the coating material isforced through the pipe g, it is turned inwardly against itself, and

is thereby more effectually subdivided. The conical point may be the endof a pipe, as shown at k. This represents an air-pipe leading to anysuitable source of air-pressure, and the air is forced through a smallhole in the tip of the conical end. The air-blast thus applied aids toimpel the material, and for some surfaces I force the plastic materialthrough the center pipe and the air through the outer space.

As the invention is mainly designed to be worked upon large surfaces, Ihave shown in Fig. l a form of apparatus adapted for such purposes. Inthis M represents atower mounted upon wheels N, by means of which it maybe moved to different parts of the building, the apparatus beingintended for outside work. Upon the platform is the receptacle A for thecoatingmaterial. From this pipes 0 0' 0 (preferably fixed metal) lead tothe stages or platforms P P, respectively. On these the workmen standiii-operating the apparatus. A flexible hose Q Q, attached to the rigidpipes, has a suitable nozzle, which may he directed by the workmantoward the wall. The material is supplied to the tank A from the tub 13,in which the material is prepared and mixed, astirrerb being arrangedtherein, operated in any suitable mannerth rough gearing 0'. Thematerial passes from the tub into the cylinderC through the valvedconnection 3. This cylinder, with the piston 2, constitutes a pump bywhich the material is forced through the pipe 4 into the tank A. Thevalve in the connection 3 is an ordinary fiapvalve, which falls to admitthe material to the pump when the piston moves toward the right andcloses on the other stroke of said piston. The piston is operated fromthe motor D through the connections shown, and this motor may beoperated by electricity derived from a conductor extending around thebuilding. The same pump may be utilized to secure the airpressurethrough a pipe (1, leading from the right-hand end of the cylinder andconnecting with the upper end of the tank. A checkvalve is used at 5,and the piston on the righthand stroke acts as a compression to forceand compress air into the tank A. The air is supplied to the nozzlesthrough the pipe 6.

It will be understood that the apparatus may be used without the tower,if desired,

and for many structures the spray can be made to reach all parts withoutthe use of the tower.

In Fig. 4 a swiveled support 7 is shown, upon which the hose maybe laidand directed to any desired point, and this swiveled support maybereplaced on the top of the tower, if desired.

This material, applied as above described, is sufiicient for interiorwork and will withstand exposure on exterior surfaces for a long time;but to increase its durability and to give it a very high degree ofresistance to atmospheric influences I have adapted the same method tofill or cover the plastic coat, applied as above stated, by a sprayingof oil or paraiiine in a liquid form or by any such well-knownmaterials. Such materials thus applied to ahard or non-absorbent surfaceor only moderately-absorbent surface in the form of spray would run andproduce an uneven and unsightly effect; but so applied upon the surfaceof a highly-absorbent material-such as that above describedthe oilsolution of paraffine or like substance is instantly absorbed and heldand will not run; and another part of my invention consists in themethod of combining with the process described above a further stepconsisting in spraying a waterproof and weather-resisting liquid uponthe surface of the plastic coat after the latter has become hard.

I claim as my invention- 1. The hereinbefore-described mode of applyinga plastic or semi-plastic material to walls or other surfaces, the sameconsisting in impelling said material through a pipe and directing it ina divided condition upon the said surfaces.

2. The hereinbefore-described mode of applying a plastic or semi-plasticmaterial to walls or other surfaces, consisting in impelling saidmaterial through a pipe and directing it in a divided condition uponsaid surface and then spraying oil or like material over said material.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MELVIN B. CHURCH.

Witnesses:

G. W. BALLOCH, WM. F. HALL.

